Dodging cables and Covid-19
There’s a water main running underneath a narrow pathway in Johnsonville. It’s broken, cutting off water to 10 nearby homes.
Mafutaga Laufiso from Wellington Water is lying on the ground, mud all over his front, reaching down a hole to identify the problem. There are always hazards at these kinds of jobs. When they started digging, the crew discovered a gas main and a power line they needed to avoid.
Now, there’s yet another hazard on their minds: Covid-19.
The men are wearing face masks, and they keep having to step away from the hole to let colleagues have a look.
‘‘Come on guys, remember that distance,’’ says Steve Watts, Wellington Water’s northern services delivery manager, who is overseeing the repair.
Stuff is celebrating the coronavirus champions – including essential services workers and community volunteers – who are keeping New Zealand going through the lockdown.
They would normally doorknock residents to let them know their water would be disrupted, but social distancing rules mean they’ve had to resort to yelling into a loudhailer.
The crews now drive directly to the jobs, rather than meeting at the depot in the mornings. ‘‘One of the trickiest things is when the guys have to go to the toilet. There’s no cafes or restaurants so they have to go at home or back to the depot,’’ he says.
On the plus side, the lack of traffic means they’re getting to
jobs quicker and they don’t have to deal with bystanders poking their heads in.
They’re stocked up on all the parts they need, but suppliers have agreed to open up at short notice should they run out.
There are 34 crews across the Wellington region working through the lockdown, and they have attended a combined 635 maintenance jobs. Other crews around the country are working on similar essential jobs. The public have been mostly understanding, though some still come too close to the crews for a chat.
The other big issue is the amount of disposable wipes being flushed down toilets, blocking pumps. ‘‘Use your wipes, but put them in the bin,’’ he says. ‘‘Because it’s just going to make our guys have to come out more often and be exposed more often.’’
Water crews are reactive by nature, responding to leaks and problems as they arise, so the team has responded well to new challenges, Watt says.
‘‘These guys have a lot of concerns about covid-19 though, they’re worried about bringing it home to their families.’’
During the lockdown period, Wellington Water is only responding to priority 1 and 2 callouts, meaning jobs where homes may be cut off from essential supplies.
‘‘We’re hoping the public don’t notice a change. We’re the quiet workers. People take water and waste for granted,’’ Watt says. ‘‘We know we’re not exactly in the limelight in the way some other services are, but we just get on with the job and try to minimise downtime to the public.’’